Self Taught

You can learn the guitar by teaching yourself the instrument. This is a lot easier than in the past due to the wide selection of resources you'll find on the Internet. Sites such as YouTube offer many great guitar lessons for free. You can sign up for lessons sites for low cost and take them whenever you wish from qualified teachers. Learning online does have drawbacks because you don't get the one on one interaction with a guitar teacher who can point out mistakes you're making with your finger placement and other techniques.

Find a Guitar Teacher

The best way to learn how to play the guitar is to take lessons from a teacher. A guitar teacher can show you the fundamentals of the instrument and correct problems with fingering. You'll learn basic chords, scales, songs, music theory, and much more. Taking lessons is the way to go for a beginner since you learn from someone who is experienced with the instrument. Once you have the basics down with your teacher you'll be in better shape to continue your musical education on your own if you wish.

Reference Materials

Another way to learn how to play guitar is to use the wealth of reference materials you can buy. Instruction books and DVDs can help you teach yourself how to play plus they are great to look up a chord or a scale you need help with. There's tons of great DVDs on the market where you can learn various styles of music or songs from your favorite artist. Combine books with the Internet and you have a lot of low cost materials to help you learn how to play guitar.

You Make the Guitar Playing Decision

It's up to you to decide which method will work the best for you. The Internet has plenty of material to help you learn buy you lose the experience and one on one interaction that a qualified music teacher can give you. You can also use reference books and DVDs to help you learn how to play the guitar too.